Canada's Finest Jihadist

Once a pizza delivery man in Toronto, now a failed jihadist. The "top dogs" of Al-Shabab are discriminating enough, on the evidence, to wish to rid themselves of an adherent who dreams of himself as an Islamist Napoleon. In ridding themselves of the presence of Omar Hammami, they behaved "like Hitler", according to the man himself. Confiscating his car, keeping all the best "war booty" for themselves. 

Utterly and clearly intolerable.

A situation bad enough to make any self-availing jihadist weep with frustration. Which appears to be precisely what Mr. Hammami has been doing. Al-Shabab has disappointed in other, critical ways as well, according to 28-year-old Hammami. Its vision too narrow, its dedication to global Islam a failure. 

First strategic blunder, he grumbles, was to plan the takeover of Somalia and stop there. What about implementing radical Islam throughout the world, through the global jihad? "You must come to know some of the harsh realities", purportedly of failure to plan adequately, he wrote scathingly. 

"None of us came here to seek positions or marriage. Instead, we all came with the intention of martyrdom", he moaned, hugely disappointed. Born in Alabama, he lived in Toronto, then left in 2005 because the city was not sufficiently Islamist. He travelled to Cairo and from there to Somali. "We are all Osama", was a mantra favoured by him.

Now his sacrifices have all been in vain. Claiming that Al-Shabab fears he is prepared to form a splinter group, they sought to kill him. "Unfortunately, we didn't find the opportunity we expected to participate in the global jihad, or even to participate in the development of jihad in Somalia."

It was Hammami's "narcissistic pursuit of fame" along with his "childish petulance", Al-Shabab responded on Twitter, that saw them lose patience with the man who claimed he was a commander, while, they said he "does not hold any position of authority" in their movement.

Trifling misunderstanding? 

In any event, Al-Shabab is looking somewhat less threatening of late, having been shoved out of their stronghold by Somali, Kenyan, Ethiopian and African Union troops, along with some assistance from the United States, launching missile strikes at key commanders. And because the movement has been under fire and weakened, another problem surfaces.

Those foreign jihadists from Western countries may now be looking longingly at home. To return from whence they came. Bringing with them the combat skills and jihadist ideology they learned while abroad. Seeking to make a name for themselves in their countries of origin. Bearing in mind that Al-Shabab has called for attacks in Western countries, like Canada.

"The combination of this declaration, (Al-Shabab's affiliation with al-Qaeda) along with the deteriorating AS [Al-Shebab] situation in Somalia, raise concern that foreign fighters may disengage from Somalia to continue their violent jihad internationally, and potentially target their home countries, including Canada," reads a report by the Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre.

"Motivated by ideas that Islam is threatened by Western policies and culture, these Islamists support the use of violence against their home and adopted countries", the report read, speaking of radicalized Canadian extremists who have adopted Islamist extremist ideology, and which makes them representative of the country's top terrorist threat.